Martin Grierson – Hull

March 2018

Pervert who ‘corrupted’ girl so much she lied for him is jailed for 15 years

A man has been convicted of a series of serious sex offences against a woman who previously perjured herself in court to defend him.

The victim twice lied to protect Martin Grierson during a trial and retrial in the 1990s when he was accused of offences against someone else.

But she has now appeared at Hull Crown Court as a prosecution witness, which resulted in him being convicted of seven offences against her, and two against another woman, which were attempted rapes after that victim had undergone a major operation.

Grierson, 61, who is now in ill health, showed no emotion but leaned on the front of the dock with his left hand as the foreman of the jury delivered guilty verdicts on all nine charges he faced after a five-day trial. He was jailed for 15 years.

The court heard the woman, who had been groomed by Grierson when she was a child nearly 30 years ago, felt guilty about lying for him in the earlier case.

Sentencing Grierson, of Boulevard, west Hull, Judge Mark Bury told him: “You have been convicted on what I regard as overwhelming evidence. She has had to live with the guilt and shame of what you did to her.

“You groomed her and corrupted her into believing that what you were doing was acceptable. Such were the feelings that she thought she had for you that she lied when she was asked to attend court when you were charged with offences against [another female]. She perjured herself for you because at that time you and she were having a sexual relationship.

“But as time went on she clearly began to realise this was grossly abnormal behaviour. She began taking drugs and drinking excessively.”

The judge said that woman’s life had been “blighted” but what Grierson had done to her.

“She hasn’t been able to form a proper relationship, although she now has a supportive partner,” he said.

She had not asked to be present in court when Grierson learned his fate. But Judge Bury said of her: “It is to be hoped when this sentence is passed and she gets to know of it she will find some closure.”

The offences against her included four of indecency with a child, one of having sex with a girl under 13, and two other serious sex offences.

The judge told Grierson: “You manipulated and groomed her and corrupted her over a number of years, and now is the time you have to pay for that.

“You appeared to have a made a number of admissions, in part at least, to other people; it’s a shame you didn’t do that formally at court because it would have reduced the sentence you have to serve, and it would have lessened the pain the witnesses have had to go through in relating their evidence.”

Some of Grierson’s crimes are “offences of particular concern”, meaning he will not automatically be released on licence halfway through his sentence, but when the Parole Board considers it is safe to let him out.